Press release

Clarity, efficiency and fairness essential in new Road Initiatives

10 Apr 2017 Brussels

The European Commission Road Initiative legislative proposals must ensure that the industry remains viable and continues to underpin the European Union’s economy. The new proposals must support the further development of a modern and integrated European transport system that operates in a fair, competitive environment.

At the end of May, the European Commission will publish a series of new proposals which could fundamentally alter the functioning of commercial road transport in the EU.

IRU strongly advocates the simplification and better targeted enforcement of existing rules rather than the addition of new rules. Without clarity and fair competition road transport will be less able to support jobs, industry and economic growth.

IRU would like to see four specific outcomes of the Road Initiatives legislative proposals:

The rules for access to the road freight transport market in Europe need to ensure that they can be enforced in the same way across every European Union Member State;

Driving and rest time rules for the coach tourism sector need to be developed to enable the sector to continue to play its part, in a safe and efficient way, in creating an ever more sustainable passenger transport system;

There must be one interoperable system used across the European Union for road charging. Having different systems is not practical, sustainable or efficient;

There must be a level playing field between users and modes, with no extra charges, taxes, or duties unless it can be proven that users are not already paying enough.

Matthias Maedge, who leads IRU’s work in the EU comments,

“Scare tactics on road safety by European trade unions is an abuse of the legislative process, and should not detract from these important proposals.” He continues,

“Any new rules must not choke off the lifeblood of Europe’s economy. We must have one set of clear rules and common enforcement that apply across the whole of the EU to ensure fair competition and maximise efficiency of operations to the benefit of all Europeans.”

IRU’s detailed ‘Policy Observations on the Revision of the EU Road Transport Legislative Framework’ that will be proposed by the European Commission can be found here.